A Novel Magnetic Respiratory Sensor for Human Healthcare Monitoring

Breathing is vital to life. Therefore, the real-time monitoring of a patient’s breathing pattern is crucial to respiratory rehabilitation therapies. Existing respiratory devices are often in direct contact with a patient, yielding inaccurate or limited data. In this study, we have developed a novel, non-invasive, and contactless magnetic sensing platform that can precisely monitor a patient’s breathing, movement, or sleep patterns. A magneto-LC resonance (MLCR) sensor converts the magnetic oscillations generated by a patient’s breathing into an impedance spectrum, which allows for a deep analysis of one’s breath variation to identify respiratory-related diseases like COVID-19. Owing to its ultrahigh sensitivity, the MLCR sensor yields a distinct breathing pattern for each patient tested, which is superior to existing respiratory devices. The sensor also provides an accurate measure of the strength of a patient’s breath at multiple stages as well as anomalous variations in respiratory rate and amplitude. Using music, we demonstrate the possibility of using MLCR technology to treat patients with chronic pulmonary diseases. This device can also be used to help those who suffer from anxiety or insomnia.